Container and method of vacuumizing the same



Aug. 25, 1931. J. H. O'NEIL CONTAINER AND METHOD OF VACUUMIZING THE SAME Filed Oct. 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l amen? aw, OWM MQVL (Not n Aug. 25, 1931. J. H. O'NEIL I CONTAINER AND METHOD OF VACUUMIZING THE SAME 2 Sheets -Sheet 2 Filed 001;. 25, 1930 I IIIIIII" Patented -Aug. 25, 193i UNITED STATES JAMES H. ONEIL, F SYRACUSE, NEW- YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CONTINENTAL CAN PATENT" OFFICE COMPANY, INC., '0]? NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK CONTAINER AND METHOD OF VACUUMIZING THE SAIIIE Application filed 0ctober'25, 1930. Serial No. 491,267.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in containers and a method of placing the container under vacuum and sealing the same.

' An object of the invention is to provide a container which may be put under vacuum and which maybe sealed While held under vacuum by a deforming of the metal wall of the container.

vide a 'method of vacuumizing containers which is simple in construction and which may be quickly utilized for creating a vacuum in the container and the sealing of the container while held under vacuum.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through the upper portion of a container embodying the improvements and also showing diagrammatically one way of carrying out the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view showing the wall of the container as deformed and sealed after the container has been vacuumized.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a slightly modified arrangement of an opening through which the vacuum is drawn and the sealing material for closing the same.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view showing the metal deformed in the region of the opening and the aperture closed by the sealing material.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the part shown in Fig. 5.

The invention is directed to a container for hermetically enclosing food products and the method of placing the can under vacuum and sealing the same while held under vacuum. The container consists ofa body having ends seamed thereto in the usual manner forming a heremetic seal between the end and the bod bent i outwardly into the form of an annular projecting rib, the walls of which are spaced forming a pocket. One of the walls of this pocket has one or more openings therethrough and in the pocket is a sealing material which is normally arranged so that the opening is free leading to the interior of the container-whereby the air or gases within the A further object of the invention is to pro- One of the ends has the metal thereof which makes contact with'the seam joining as the end to the body. The vacuum head or vacuum bell is also provided with devices which are adapted to engage the projecting annular rib in a way so as to deform that portlon of the rib in the region of the opening.

This is preferably accomplished by pressing I devices within the head which force the side walls of the rib toward each other. This will cause the sealing material to be forced into the opening and thus close the container; after which the head is opened to the atmosphere and the container released.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the invention is shown as embodied in a container consisting of a body portion 1 having an end 2 secured theretoby a double seam 3. The end 2 has an outwardly projecting rib 4 preferably extending so that its outer edge lies substantially in the plane of the outer edge of thedouble seam and not above the same. This rib is provided with spaced side Walls 5 and 6 which form within the rib a pocket 7. The wall 6 is provided with an aperture 8. Within this pocket is laced a rubber rin 9. This ring is preferably held in the poo et by indenting the wall of the rib forming the pocket at spaced intervals. It may be secured in other ways. The position of a vacuum head is diagrammatically illustrated in the drawings. It includes a rubber ring 10 which makes contact with the end of the container at the seam and when the head is pressed against the container this forms an airtight contact. Suitably mounted within the head are metal bending devices 11 and 12. The vacuum head is placed under vacuum and the air and gas-present in the container will be drawn through the opening 8. The ring is spaced away from the wall sufliciently to permit the air to be withdrawn from the container. After the container has been placed under the desired degree of vacuum then the bending devices 11 and 12 are forced against the side walls of the rib as indicated in Fig. 2, and the side walls are moved toward each other thus deforming the rib in the region of the opening 8. This causes the side wallsto compress the sealing ring 9 which will be forced mto the opening as indicated in Fig. 2 and thus the opening sealed.

In Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive, a similar form of container is shown provided with apro'ecting rib but in this form the pocket 9 is lled with a sealing material indicated at 13 after which by a suitable instrument an openmg 14 is formed through the top wall of the rib and through the sealing material. The Vacuum head or vacuum bell is used in the same way with a container and after the vacuum has been drawn thereon, the metal bending devices 11 and 12 operate to deform that portion of the rib in the region of the opening 14. These deformed sections of the rib are indicated at 15 and 16 in Fig. 6 of the drawin 's. This deforming of the rib forces the si e walls 5 and 6 thereof inwardly toward each other, thus ueezing the sealing material and forcin t e same into the opening 14 and effective y sealing the same.

From the above it will be apparent that I have provided a container having a portion of one wall of the metal shaped so as to proyide a pocket in which a relatively soft sealon the container throu h an opening in the metal forming the pociet, after which, and while the container is held under vacuum, the projecting portion isdeformed so .as to cause the sealing material to fill the opening and thus close the container. By this construction of a container and method of vacuumizing the same, the food product may be packed in a container and the ends seamed thereto, after which the container may be guickly vacuumized and then sealed by a de-v orming of the metal of the container. The apparatus for accomplishing this result is very simple, requiring fewparts.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction of the container and in the form of the apparatus for carrying out the method may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1 A container comprising a body portion, and ends seamed thereto, one of said ends having the metal thereof bent outwardly and shaped to provide a pocket fora sealing material, the wall of said pocket having an opening therethrough in the region of the sealing material whereby the container may be vacuumized, said sealing material being so disposed relative-to the opening that when the metal of the pocket is deformed inwardly, the sealing material will be caused to enter mg material is placed and 'a vacuum is drawn and close the opening thus sealing the container.

2. A container comprising a body portion and ends seamed thereto, one of said ends having the metal thereof bent to form an outwardly projecting annular rib, the side Walls of which are s aced from each other to form a pocket within the container, one of said walls having one or more openings therethrou h in the region of the sealing material where y the container may be vacuumized, said sealing material being sodisposed relative to the opening that when the metal in the pocket is deformed by the pressing of the side walls of the rib inwardly the sealing material will be caused to enter and close the opening thus sealing the container.

3. A method of sealing food products in vacuum in a container consisting in forming a wall of the container with a projecting portion providing a-pocket within the same for the sealing material, drawing the air and gases from the container through an opening in the wall of the projecting portion and subjecting the'metal'of the projecting portion to pressure while the container is held under vacuum for deforming said projection and thus causing the sealing material contained within the pocket to enter and close the opening and seal the container.

In testimony whereof. I aflix my signature.

JAMES H. ONEIL. 

